Replaced
by EchoMoonHuntress
Summary: Kris did not choose to be replaced. But she did choose who was going to replace her, although Lyra's not sure if she wants to be the replacement.


**Oh gosh, I'm reaaaaaaallly nervous about uploading this story. I'm not quite sure if I'm doing this right, so please bear with me if I happen to make a mistake!**

At the edge of NewBark Town stood an eleven-year-old girl, wringing her wrists and pacing back and forth. Many people noticed her, and they all recognized her, for it was Kris, a Pokemon trainer who had taken down Red and was the first Pokemon girl trainer. Many of these people came up to her, asking her if she could chat or sign autographs or whatever, but she just waved them off. When they asked her if she was okay with being alone, she gave the same response: "I'll be fine, I'm just waiting for someone."

She must've waited there for three hours when the expected visitor made her arrival. "There you are," she teased her visitor. "I was starting to lose my hair waiting for you!"

Her visitor, a girl who wore blue overalls and a poufy hat, looked up at her. "How can you be joking?" she whispered. "You're not going to exist in a few hours, and I'm going to be the only one who remembers you!"

Kris winced. The girl had hit a weak spot. "Joking eases my mind," she explained, tapping her head.

The other girl nodded. She seemed more nervous than Kris was—her hands were shaking and she was ghostly pale.

"Lyra," Kris chided, "You can't start your journey while looking like a ghost."

Lyra's lip quivered. "I'm scared, Kris! I don't want to do this!" She whipped her head from side to side to make sure nobody was eavesdropping, and then dropped her voice into a whisper. "Everybody's going to hate me, Kris, for replacing you! You were the first female Pokemon trainer, and I'm taking your role! Everybody wants you, not me! They don't even know who I am!"  
Kris set her hands on Lyra's shoulders firmly. "But they will," she said. "They'll all know your name."

"Yeah, as Lyra the Replacement," Lyra mumbled.

Kris shook her head. "Everyone in NewBark Town will instantly forget who I am. Their memories will be locked up, and I'll be forgotten." She got a lump in her throat, but she continued on. "You'll be the girl everyone remembers, and everyone will be proud of you." She smiled shakily at Lyra. Her courage was crumbling, but she pressed forward. "Even if people hate on you, or call you a replacement, there will still be people who like you. Remember, you've got a friend right here." She tapped Lyra's heart and blinked back tears.

Lyra looked stunned for a moment, and then a slow smile spread across her face. Then it disappeared. "Hey, Kris?"  
"Yes?"  
"Are you…are you mad I'm taking your place?"

Kris paused. She hadn't really thought about that. She wasn't excited about being wiped from everyone's minds, and she definitely wasn't looking forward to not existing. But she didn't blame Lyra for it, nor did she hate her. She was also quite happy that another girl was starting her journey. It was nice to let someone else be in the spotlight.  
"No," Kris finally answered. "It's time to let another girl have the spotlight." When she noticed Lyra still looked down, she crouched down to be the same height—Lyra was a little shorter than she was. "Hey—I'll still be here, in spirit."

Lyra wiped her eyes. Kris realized she had been crying for a little bit. Then Lyra drew in her breath. "Okay. I…I'm excited now to start my own journey. But I wish you would see it."

"I'll be watching," Kris promised. "But I need you to promise me one thing."  
Lyra nodded. She wanted to repay Kris in any way she could, because she was practically stealing the limelight and making sure Kris didn't exist. "Okay."

Kris smiled again, and the tears she had been holding back finally fell. "I want you to take care of Gold and Silver for me. Gold will be renamed Ethan, so take care of Ethan and Silver, okay?"

Lyra nodded. "I will. I promise."

Kris wiped her eyes and hugged her replacement. "Good luck, Lyra. Make me proud."  
Moments later, a swirl of coding and yellow dust whirled around Kris. It was too bright, so Lyra shut her eyes, but when she opened them, Kris was gone.

Days passed by. Then months. Then years.

Lyra had picked her starter Pokemon while Ethan stayed behind with his Marill. Silver stole one of the starter Pokemon, as expected, leaving one Pokeball behind. Lyra stared at it everyday, wondering if anyone would claim it.

One particular day, she came to visit Professor Elm. She had just defeated the Legendary Red and was paying a visit back to NewBark Town. She, of course, went to tell Professor Elm the news first, though.

When she got there, she noticed the third Pokeball, the one with the last starter Pokemon, was gone.

"Professor Elm, did Ethan take the last starter Pokeball?"

Professor Elm looked up and frowned. "No…"  
"Did anyone else take it?" Lyra prompted.

Professor Elm chuckled. "As far as I'm concerned, nobody took it. Maybe you can solve that mystery, Lyra."

Lyra had a pretty good guess on who took the Pokeball, but she didn't say so out loud. Instead, she walked around and inspected the table closely. She looked under the desk to see if the Pokeball had fallen—it hadn't. But underneath the table there was a yellow sticky note. Lyra looked around quickly and snatched the note up.

She read it over once. Then twice. Thrice. Four times. She stood in the lab for hours, just rereading the note over and over, silent tears streaming down her face, yet smiling at the same time.

The note said, _I'm very proud of you. –K_

**That last scene was partly based on an Easter egg in HeartGold and SoulSilver where the last starter Pokeball is taken, but nobody appears to have stolen it. Some people think it was a nod to Kris, so that's what the last scene was based on. **

**Please review, and thanks for reading this!**


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